


secure in his disbelief

by el_em_en_oh_pee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Awkward Sexual Situations, Dubious Consent, F/M, Gay Panic, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-02-16
Updated: 2007-02-16
Packaged: 2017-10-16 21:38:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/169607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/el_em_en_oh_pee/pseuds/el_em_en_oh_pee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for lj fest hpvalensmut.</p><p>In which there is a Moderately Long Story about the evolving relationship (or lack thereof) between one Percival Ignatius Weasley and one Oliver Wood, one of whom proves to be Very Proper and the other, Less Proper. They have sex in a hotel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	secure in his disbelief

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rillalicious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rillalicious/gifts).



The match is good; even Percy can tell that much. It is a typical British victory: Puddlemere United beats France soundly; there are lots of triumphant cheers at the end as Willis catches the Snitch, and lots of jolly people in the pubs come evening.

Percy is there with Elisha Spudmore, his immediate superior and (unfortunately for Percy) a great Quidditch buff. Working under Elisha for the past three years, Percy has found himself growing rapidly and reluctantly acquainted with the sport - but, as he has found, his growing knowledge of the ins and outs of blokes fighting on broomsticks for idiot little balls has been mirrored with a growth in his position at the Ministry. Which makes this gallivanting about, visiting matches and then the pubs afterwards, almost worth it. Anyways, he can usually bring paperwork to the pubs; no-one seems to notice.

In the pub after this particular victory, Elisha insists that Percy get an ale at the _very least_ ("say, let's see you loosen up a little!") and Percy, loathe to seem unsporting, gets one.

And takes it into a nice, dark corner where he can watch everybody else’s antics.

"Hullo, Percy," someone behind him says, and Percy twists his head around, so fast it almost hurts. _Wood_.

"Hullo, Wood," he returns. "It's been ages."

****

###

Percy sat in the compartment, scrunched against the wall as far from the window as he could manage. It would be his first time at Hogwarts, and all he could think about were Bill's stories about Mister - no, _Professor_ Flitwick and how he was a big, scary ogre who was liable to eat the little first years who couldn't figure out how to cast a Cheering Charm during their first class. He was blind to the scenery rushing past (he'd never seen any of it before, never seen anything _like_ it before, and, he reasoned, he wasn't likely to see it again - he hadn't mastered Cheering Charms yet! - so what was the point, really?) and deaf to the commotion in the corridor, and didn't quite care that he was missing any of it.

And then the door to his compartment opened.

"Hullo," said the boy who opened it. "My name's Oliver."

Percy nodded. "Percy," he said. "I'm Percy. Weasley."

The boy - Oliver - beamed. "Wood," he said. "You a first-year, too?"

"Would I what?" Percy asked. "And yes."

"Wood's my last name." Oliver Wood sat down on the seat opposite Percy. "What d'you reckon Hogwarts'll be like?"

Percy was decidedly uncomfortable with this other boy just up and sitting down in his compartment, but didn't say so. "I've _two_ older brothers who go here," he said importantly. "I don't _reckon_ anything; I _know_ all about it!"

Oliver Wood looked suitably impressed. "Wow!" he said. "So what's it like, then?"

Percy began describing in detail everything that Charlie and Bill'd told him - about the classes and teachers and grounds and Quidditch and forest and lake and squid. When he brought up Flitwick, he said: "And Bill says that he's practically a _monster_ , only don't worry, because _I_ know how to cast a Cheering Charm and I can cheer him right up so he won't eat me! Or you, I suppose."

"Thanks for the offer," Oliver Wood smiled. "You mentioned Quidditch?"

  


**#**  


Professor Flitwick, of course, was the opposite of frightening, which sparked embarrassment in Percy, a hurried discussion with Bill in hushed tones, and quite a bit of teasing from Oliver Wood.

Percy managed to mostly tune it out.

  


**###**  


At some point in second year, Percy stopped thinking of Oliver Wood as _Oliver Wood_ and started referring to him as just plain 'Oliver' (or 'Wood', when he was being difficult). Almost no-one noticed the change.

  
A few weeks later, Oliver made the Quidditch team - Keeper - after Geoffrey Sonde suffered a debilitating encounter with a goalpost.

"Congratulations," Percy said, somewhat stiffly. "I'm sure you'll do well."

"Hey, thanks," Oliver said, flashing a smile back.

Percy adjusted his glasses. "I only hope this won’t affect your focus on schoolwork?"

"What focus?" one of their yearmates - Anna Cooke - asked from across the table.

Percy glared at her and opened his mouth to speak when Oliver spoke up. "Good point, Perce," he said. "You know, I think I've been having a bit of trouble with Charms - and I'm too... _frightened_ of Flitwick to ask for help. D'you think _you_ could maybe help me, instead?"

"I'd be glad to help," Percy started to say, when Anna interrupted again.

"You know," she said, glancing concernedly (and was it? could it be? _admiringly_?) at Oliver. "You know, Flitwick isn't _that_ scary, at all..."

" _Professor_ Flitwick," Percy corrected, before Oliver's meaning hit him. "Hey!" he said. "Hey! No fair!"

Oliver laughed, and shoved some toast at Percy. "Shush," he said, trying to straighten his face. "Shush, and you can be famous by association."

 _I didn't intend that at all_! Percy started to say indignantly, but he didn't get farther than "I didn't" when that horrid Anna spoke up again.

"Merlin, Percy, calm down a bit! It's just a joke!"

"Yeah," Oliver seconded, glancing somewhat worriedly at Percy's expression. "It's all in fun." He punched Percy on the arm. "Hey, how about a picnic lunch? You can show me that new, uh, Transfigurations spell you worked out!"

****

#

Oliver fainted dead away right before his first game. Percy went to visit him in the hospital wing (Oliver was quite all right; Madame Pomfrey just wanted to make sure there wasn't going to be a relapse), to bring him the notes he didn't get from the two classes he missed, and to discuss the antics of their classmates.

Percy only made fun of Oliver a _little_ bit, but he stopped once Oliver asked if the rumours concerning Percy and one _very_ messed up, incredibly wrong paper in Charms was true.

It was, but Percy pretended it wasn't.

****

###

It was all Anna's fault, really, only she hadn't been _in_ the room when the dungbomb went off, so Percy and Oliver were stuck doing what _should have been_ her detention.

It was quite disheartening, really; the justice system in Hogwarts.

But, regardless of whose fault it was or was not, it was Percy stuck in the Great Hall (with Oliver, too, of course) helping Flitwick and Hagrid set up and decorate the Christmas trees.

Oliver couldn't be more amused if he tried. But then, he _would_ be amused: _He_ (being a smidgeon taller and just a shade sturdier than Percy) got to help Hagrid set the trees in their stands and then, because he was smaller than Hagrid, water them.

Percy, predictably, was stuck helping Flitwick decorate the trees. It wasn't that Flitwick intimidated him, not anymore, but Oliver would probably tease him about it for months.

  
Despite his concerns that Oliver would find cause to tease him, nothing terribly tease-worthy came up. Until Percy managed to have his jumper snag on one of the branches of the tree he was helping Flitwick trim. ( _Flitwick_ , of course, did not notice a thing.)

He was working himself free when Oliver spotted him. "Did the big bad tree catch you?" he asked Percy, sniggering.

Percy glared. "Just help me, won't you? I'm stuck and it's _no fun_!"

Oliver grinned. "But of course," he said, and came towards Percy. And stopped. "Uhm, Perce?"

"Yes?"

"I hope you realise that you're, you're stuck under _mistletoe_. You... oh, Merlin, Percy."

"You don't have to go into hysterics about it," Percy said, dryly. "You _could_ help me free."

Oliver reddened. "I don't want to kiss you, you see," he explained.

"Perfect!" Percy said. "I don't want to kiss you, either. So could you help me get un-caught?"

"But it's tradition," Oliver said. "I'd _have_ to kiss you. Especially -- is this mistletoe charmed?"

Percy blinked. "Um," he said. "Well."

Oliver guffawed. "The evilness of Charms strikes again! Sorry, Percy, but you're stuck getting yourself free, unless you _fancy_ my kissing you!"

"I don't," Percy frowned. "I don't fancy your kissing me. But this isn't letting me _go_!"

Oliver stepped hesitantly closer. Percy could only imagine what Oliver might be seeing: Percy's own sweater, hopelessly entangled in one of the numerous protruding branches on the Mistletoe Tree, the hem unravelling as he attempted to squirm free.

He suddenly felt ridiculous.

"...spell?"

Percy's head jerked. "Sorry, what?"

"I said, did you try a Severing Charm?"

Percy stared at Oliver. "I didn't even think too!"

Oliver laughed, and drew his wand. "Here, let me..."

His wand sparked, and Percy stepped away from the tree.

And didn't get anywhere. "What happened?"

"It wouldn't, it didn't work," Oliver said, frowning. "I don't know why..."

"Bugger," Percy said, and flushed. "I mean, I meant to say 'drat'."

Oliver laughed. "You're the only person I know who has a problem saying 'bugger'," he said. "Here, let's try this..." and he moved in closer to Percy.

"What?" Percy asked, eyes flying open. Was Oliver going to get too close to the charmed mistletoe? Would they _kiss_? How incredibly _wrong_ that would be! Really, Percy didn't quite mind being stuck there forever, Oliver was just too, too close--

Oliver tangled his fingers in the ravelling hem and pulled down. He freed one hand, tugged at the branch. Broke the branch off. "There you go!" he said, and, smiling impishly, kissed Percy on the cheek.

Percy stared at him, a little bit shocked. "What?"

"You might want to avoid those charms from now on," Oliver chortled. "Also I think our detention is over."

And with that, he was gone.

Percy followed a few minutes later.

****

###

In fourth year, Percy finally got around to going to Hogsmeade for the first time. He'd had his permission slip for over a year, yes (of _course_ he did!), but up until Hallowe'en weekend of his fourth year, he hadn't quite seen the point in interrupting his studies.

Only now, Oliver had convinced him that what he _really_ needed was a butterbeer and quite possibly enough chocolates to make him sick (Percy still wasn't sure how Oliver'd convinced him; however, he didn't really mind. This could be fun!). Also, he had told Percy that the Shrieking Shack was "really quite educational", which, Percy figured, could only help him in his studies.

But then Oliver insisted on whining about how utterly _terrible_ it was that they neither of them had dates to go with them (Percy noticed Anna pouting in the corner, but he didn't say anything). Percy wanted to re-think the trip, almost.

But then Oliver said that he supposed they could probably get along just fine, the two of them, in Hogsmeade without dates. And Percy decided that maybe Oliver was right.

  
In Hogsmeade, he met a third-year with crinkly blonde hair and blue-rimmed glasses. She was a Ravenclaw and quite smart, and when Percy and Oliver got back to the common room (Pockets lighter, but hands full of chocolates -- Oliver -- and quills -- Percy.), Percy told Oliver that perhaps he was right. Perhaps they _did_ need dates next time. ("And, in any case, Oliver," he said, clearing his throat. "It was, uh. It was fun.")

Oliver looked a little askance, but he covered it up with a smile and clapped Percy on the back. "Glad you had a good time, then!" he said, and Percy didn't wonder (for long) about Oliver's momentary expression of worry, of hurt.

****

###

In Percy's fifth year, Harry Potter came to Hogwarts.

Percy's little brother, Ronald, had apparently befriended Potter on the train. (Percy didn't begrudge his brother friends, not at _all_ , but he couldn't help but feel the teensiest bit jealous that Ronald had gotten to say 'hello' first. He probably didn't even ask the Boy Who Lived _how_ he lived!) This was, in and of itself, exciting. Percy'd become a little famous through association, maybe, and _maybe_ he could even tutor Potter!

During their very first meal together, Potter asked him who Snape was.

Percy, of course, told him who Snape was. He was about to say more -- in fact, he was about to tell the boy everything he knew about Professor Severus Snape -- but Oliver was giving him that 'oh, here we go _again_ ' look again, so Percy held his tongue. 

****

#

Percy didn't begrudge Oliver his new Seeker, either. It wasn't _Oliver's_ fault that he'd gotten the most famous boy in Britain on his Quidditch team before Percy could even offer to tutor him.

  
 _Anyways_ , Percy told himself later on that year, _I've got Penelope. I don't need to be befriending some_ first _year_.

Penelope was the crinkly-haired girl he'd met at Hogsmeade forever ago. She went with him on his trips there now (Oliver was too _busy_ with Quidditch and also with snogging Anna, probably), and he bought her coffee and sometimes tea.

They kissed for the first time on Valentine's Day. Her mouth was sticky and tasted of the Strawberry Chewpops she'd just gotten from Honeydukes.

Percy couldn't stand the taste of strawberry, but he made an exception for Penelope.

****

###

Percy caught up with Oliver after Quidditch practise.

"We still on for tonight?" he asked, referring to their study plans. "It's never too early to start studying for NEWTs, either."

Oliver groaned. "You find too much pleasure in studying," he said. "Sure, we can still be on for tonight. Only, I thought you had plans with your _Penelope_?"

"No," said Percy, surprised. "Why should I?"

"She's your _girlfriend_?" Oliver suggested, peevishly.

"But the Charms test we have is _important_!" Percy said, and Oliver sniggered. Percy frowned: "Oh, shut _up_ about it already!"

"Make me," Oliver said. "No, actually, we can study. I promise. Only, I'm sort of really sweaty and about to take a shower. Would you mind...?" He looked pointedly towards the door.

Percy nodded. "Of course," he said. "I'll wait." He turned to go.

"Wait!" Oliver said, desperately. "One thing, before you go?"

Percy turned back, and Oliver was rapidly turning a deep red. "Yes?"

"Quidditch, it's, well, it's a turn-on," Oliver said.

Percy was shocked. "What?!"

"Quidditch," Oliver repeated. "It's. A. Turn. On."

"...I don't see how this affects me," Percy mumbled, backing up a little.

Oliver nodded. "It doesn't," he said, and the corners of his mouth trembled as he held his head up proudly. "Go tell Anna I'll see her in ten, yeah?"

"Oh." Percy was a little disappointed, and he didn't know why. "Oh. Alright."

Oliver started to take off his Quidditch robes. And paused. "What are you still doing here?"

"Oh, um," Percy said. "Sorry."

He left, trying hard not to think of Oliver kissing (and possibly doing more with) Anna.

****

#

"AND they were making ILLEGAL POTIONS in the GIRL'S BATHROOM!" Percy shouted. "Can you BELIEVE how INCREDIBLY AGAINST THE RULES THAT IS?!!?"

He fell back on his bed as Oliver stood up. "Percy," he said, cautiously. "Boys will be boys."

"My brother will not be a boy!" Percy said, and then flushed. "I mean, er. He will not play around in the girl's toilet! ESPECIALLY not around that moaning ghost girl! And MOST ESPECIALLY not making illegal potions!"

"Then, well," Oliver said. "Why don't you tell a teacher about these illegal potions?"

"Because they didn't know I saw," Percy muttered. "Because he's my brother."

Oliver nodded. "I see."

They fell silent until Oliver, redder than Percy had been during his tirade, said, "Perce?"

"Hm?"

"Have you ever, I mean, do you ever _wonder_...?"

"All the time," Percy said. "About what?"

"About, well." Oliver said. "About what it would be like? You know, with a _guy_."

Percy rounded on him. "What are you talking about?"

"You know," Oliver said. "Like how Anna and I've been. Together. Like you and Penelope."

"I would never," Percy started, indignantly. "I would _never_ jeopardise her honour! Especially as she's too young."

"Yes, but," Oliver said. "Have you ever wondered, just the same?"

Percy paused. "No."

Oliver nodded. "Okay."

"It would be _wrong_ ," Percy said. "Isn't, you know, man supposed to be with woman?"

"I don't know," Oliver said. "That's generally the way marriages work, I guess."

Percy nodded his assent. "So why would I?"

"Nobody says anything about a boy being with a boy," Oliver said. "Either for or against." He stood up and came to Percy's bed. ( _He hasn't done that since second year and the nightmares!_ Percy thought frantically) "You've really never wondered?"

"No," said Percy, who secretly _had_ wondered, just a little, what it would be like if Marcus Flint had kissed him that one time they'd run straight into each other in the halls, and who was wondering a little bit now. "Really. Never."

"D'you think you ever _will_ wonder?" Oliver asked.

"Maybe," Percy admitted. "I doubt it. It seems a little... perverse."

"Well, um," Oliver said. "D'you want to try? I mean, in case you _do_ ever wonder?"

A part of Percy really did want to try, even though Oliver was talking about _homosexual acts_. But his rational mind was rather against the whole idea. "I don't know," he said. "I don't think so... Anyways, we're a little too young. And school is _hardly_ an appropriate location. Even if I _were_ to be a little bit interested."

Oliver nodded, and Percy closed his eyes. _Good_ , he thought. _That takes care of_...

Oliver kissed him. _...that_.

Percy's eyes flew open. "What are you," he asked, wildly. "What are you doing?"

"Shhh," Oliver said, taking Percy's glasses off for him. "Shhhh, I'm doing you a favour."

"Oh," Percy said, quite unsure as to how to react. (Apparently there were parts of his body that reacted without his say-so.) "I don't think..."

"Shhh," Oliver said again, kissing Percy soundly.

Percy shushed. He tried to push Oliver (who was busily climbing onto him _all_ the way) off, but Oliver was a Quidditch player - which probably allowed for his greater weight and strength.

Oliver paid no heed to Percy's (rapidly lessening) struggles. He seemed to know what he was doing: kissing Percy, running his tongue over Percy's lips until he opened them, running his tongue in Percy's _mouth_...

Percy moaned, despite himself, and Oliver lifted his head up. He smiled lazily. "Have you ever wondered?" he whispered, a little hotly, and Percy shook his head again.

Oliver nodded (smiling a little knowingly) and started unbuttoning Percy's robes, Percy's shirt, Percy's trousers. He sat back, Oliver did, as he pushed Percy's trousers down his legs until Percy's shoes kept them from going any further, and quickly undressed himself.

Percy tried not to stare. He had seen Oliver naked before, yes. But never, ever had he seen Oliver hard - had he looked _to_ see if Oliver was hard.

He didn't have that much time to think about it. Oliver was bearing down on him again (he was completely naked, Oliver was. Wasn't he?) and _oh_ , he seemed to know what he was _doing_ and if Percy didn't know better, he'd have said that Oliver'd done this before.

After almost three minutes of not moving as Oliver kissed him and ground his erection against Percy's own, Percy realised that he was being terribly unresponsive. Not that he wanted _to_ be responsive, not with a _boy_ , but it was terribly rude of him, to not do anything back.

So he kissed Oliver back, and tentatively moved his hand to touch Oliver's erection.

"You still have foreskin on your penis," Percy said, a little bit surprised.

"I know," Oliver gasped back at him. "And you don't."

"I know," Percy said, and moaned, because Oliver was doing _something_ amazing to Percy's ear with his tongue. "Oh, god, _Oliver_!"

"Ye- yeah?"

"Please," Percy said. "Please, I don't know, _oh_ , oh, yes, please."

"I think," Oliver said, thrusting his hips against Percy's, "That you're," he bit Percy's earlobe, "wondering."

"'mnot," Percy said, arching his back to increase the generally good sensations Oliver was providing. "I'm _knowing_ ," he touched Oliver's penis - cock - again, and let his hand linger a little bit longer than he had the time before. "I'm knowing that," he ran a finger up the underside of Oliver's cock, "you should probably stop."

Oliver paused. "Why?" he asked.

"Because it's wrong," Percy said, wanting very much for Oliver to continue.

Oliver pushed himself back abruptly. "Fine," he said. "If that's the way you feel. I can just, I don't know. Have a good wank in the corner." He climbed off of Percy.

"Where d'you think you're going?" Percy asked.

"You obviously aren't interested," Oliver said, "and I need to take care of myself." He gestured at his cock, which was still quite erect.

This somehow surprised Percy (though he was probably a little bit more surprised at his own cock, which was very, _very_ hard.). "No, wait," he said. "It's wrong, but can't it just be wrong _after_?"

"I don't quite get your logic," Oliver said, glancing at Percy's crotch. "But I guess?"

Percy nodded. "Just," he said. "I don't know."

Oliver nodded, too. "Okay," he said. "Do you mind if...?" and he gestured to indicate getting back onto Percy's bed.

"Yeah," Percy said. "I mind. Okay. Go ahead."

Oliver smiled crookedly. "Okay," he said, and lowered himself back onto Percy.

  


**#**  


Afterwards, Percy complained again that they were both too young, too male, and too much at school to be doing anything like that. Oliver told him that Percy should be grateful for the handjob and not to come asking for more.

"Good," Percy said. "Because I wasn't going to."

  
When he met Penelope the next day, he felt extremely guilty: guilty that he'd done so vile a thing to her, guilty that he'd given into Oliver, guilty that he sort of wanted to do it again.

He avoided Oliver the rest of the year.

He missed Oliver's jokes about Charms (especially during finals).

  


**###**  


Oliver dove into Quidditch the next year. He was determined to win the Cup that year, Percy overheard him telling Spinnet. He said that right before he saw Percy, right before he kissed Anna soundly on the lips.

Percy was fine with that. He dove into his studies, and almost didn't notice the silence in their room when they were both there, both awake. It was NEWTs year, and he had hundreds of flowcharts to make, hundreds of notes to re-write, hundreds of professors to beg for extra lessons. When he wasn't studying, he was with Penelope. They kissed a few times, and she seemed to want more, but Percy always told her no. "You're too young," he said. "We're in school."

She would protest that sixteen was quite old enough, thank you, and he would reply with, "Then I'm too young."

They broke up once, around Christmastime, but they got back together after the holidays.

****

#

Penelope, whose parents were extremely nervous with Sirius Black on the loose, was called home over Easter - just about the time Percy ran out of flowcharts to make and notes to colour-code by subject, level, and form (research, spell, potion).

The night before Easter, Oliver came into their room drunk.

"Hiiii, Perce," he said, slumping down onto his bed.

Percy didn't know what to say. They hadn't spoken all year. "Um," he said. "Hi."

Oliver beamed. "It's been for _ev_ er, mate."

"No," Percy returned. "It hasn't quite been long enough."

"What're you sayin'?" Oliver asked, carefully enunciating his words. "'sbeen a _year_. Longer than."

"I'm well aware how long it's been," Percy said. It had been a year, three months, four days, and seven hours. Give or take. "You're drunk, aren't you?"

"Yesss," Oliver said. "Are y'gonna turn me in?"

"I don't know," Percy replied. "Are you going to do it again?"

"I don't know," Oliver said, and he looked straight at Percy. "How long're you goin' to avoid me?"

Percy froze. "What do you mean," he said. It wasn't a question.

"I fancy you," Oliver said. "You fancy me. How long're you gonna deny it?"

Percy stood. "I think I'm going to tell McGonagall to check students for liquor," he said, polishing his Head Boy badge. "They shouldn't be getting drunk in school. Or while underaged, at all, really."

"I turned eighteen las' month," Oliver said. "You know tha'." But Percy had walked out of the room and didn't hear.

****

###

Percy went back to Hogwarts during the Triwizard Tournament. He was there namely for work, he knew, but it didn't stop him from going off to find Penelope.

He had heard from Ronald and Harry Potter and that bright Hermione (he didn't understand how she could be friends with his _brother_ ) that Wood had been at the Quidditch World Cup, too. He didn't ask how he was doing. Wood had just signed some Quidditch contract, himself. Percy was sure that Wood was doing fine, and he didn't care.

Penelope was laughing with her friends about something or another, but when she saw Percy, she beamed at him and ran over to give him a big kiss.

He let her for a moment before hauling her off. "Penny!" he exclaimed. " _Oh_ , how I've missed you!"

  
Right before the Third Task, Percy saw Oliver and Anna talking two rows over. Oliver was holding hands with someone else, someone decidedly not Anna. Someone decidedly male, and someone about Charlie's age.

Anna saw him looking and waved, smiling.

Percy waved back, and kissed Penelope on the cheek in front of everyone.

****

###

Percy was hurrying to the Ministry entrances to the Floo when he heard someone call his name.

Wood.

He paused. "Yes?"

"I saw your brother today," Wood said, looking steadily at Percy.

"Brother?" Percy returned the look. "I had several. Not so sure we're still legally related. Which one?"

"Bill," Wood replied. "He says 'hi'."

"Oh, well." Bill had always been the friendliest of Percy's brothers. "Hello to him back, I suppose."

Oliver shifted uncomfortably. "Give him the message yourself. He, you know, _does_ work here, now."

"I know." Percy studied the other man. "Why are you here, Wood? I mean, I didn't mean that to be harsh, I mean, what?"

Wood smiled faintly. "I'm Oliver, remember?"

"I remember," Percy said, setting his mouth in a straight line.

"I'm here because of Quidditch technicalities. Renewing contracts. You know, legal stuff."

"Oh."

Percy turned to go after another moment of uncomfortable silence, when Wood-- when _Oliver_ snagged his arm, pulled him into a niche in the wall. He spoke up again. "It's been forever, hasn't it?"

"I've been busy."

"Yes, well, too busy to send off the odd owl?" Oliver asked. "I've been busy, too, but that doesn't stop me from keeping up with old friends."

Percy _had_ wanted to get out of the situation, as quickly and smoothly as possible, but that particular comment tripped him up. "We used to be friends," he whispered. "Didn't we?"

"Yeah," Oliver said. "Best mates, weren't we."

It wasn't a question, but Percy answered just the same. "Yes, I suppose so."

"Up until sixth year."

So Oliver was going to insist on bringing _that_ up again. "Yes, I think so," Percy mumbled. "But that's past, isn't it?"

Oliver sighed. "Yeah, I reckon so."

He wasn't leaving. Why wasn't he leaving? "What do you want, then?"

"I thought you should know that," Oliver said. "I've told you before."

"You were drunk," Percy reminded him. "Which, I might add, was _incredibly_ against school rules..."

Oliver laughed; a short, barking sound. "How's Charms going, then?"

Percy glared. "That stopped being funny in our first year."

"Correction," Oliver said, grinning. "It stopped being funny for _you_."

"How's Anna?" Percy asked, abruptly, not mentioning the other man at the Triwizard Tournament. "You still with her?"

"We broke up seventh year," Oliver said. "Don't you remember?"

Apparently not. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes," Oliver said, relaxing against the wall. "There're a hundred more things, but, apparently, you don't want to hear of any of them."

"Oh, well, I, well," Percy stuttered, but Oliver interrupted him: "How's Penelope?"

"Oh, well, she's lovely, you know," Percy said. "She's moved in. Just last month, did you hear?"

"Yes," Oliver murmured, the corners of his mouth drawing down. "Your brother told me. Charlie."

"Oh," Percy said. "Oh." He hadn't realised that Oliver talked with his brothers very much. He hadn't realised that his brothers even _knew_ that much about him, anymore. "Well. She's wonderful."

"I'm glad, then," Oliver said, his mouth tightening even more. "That she's wonderful. Roger Davis was okay, for the week I was with him."

So _that_ was who the other man was. Not older at all, then... "I hadn't realised," Percy mumbled, pushing his spectacles higher up on his nose. "I hadn't realised that you were with him."

"Well, not many did, did they?" Oliver asked. "I mean, it's not like _broadcasting_ , you know, _us_ would be good for the team..."

"Right, right, of course," Percy said. "Uhm. Is that... is that all?"

"You really can't stand me anymore, can you."

"It's not that," Percy protested, trying to ignore the fact that it was really _quite_ the opposite, even now, even with Penelope living with him and _everything_. "I hardly know you anymore. You know. It's been what, four years?"

"Three and a half," Oliver said. "Give or take."

"Right, right." Percy turned to go.

"But," Oliver said, and Percy turned back again. "What difference does that make? I mean, we still have things in common?"

"Like what?" Percy asked, finally exasperated. "We were friends. You bothered me about Charms. I helped you with homework. We... you know. And then we weren't friends anymore."

"I think you want us to 'you know' again," Oliver whispered. "Which is okay, Perce, it really is."

"No, it isn't," Percy said. He had _thought_ about it, to be sure, wondered what had possessed Oliver to start it, what had possessed him to go along with it. Wondered what it would be like if they did it again... "I don't want to." Which was a bit of a lie, but then again, the lie was better than the truth. Wasn't it?

"You sure?"

"I'm happy where I am," Percy said, distinctly uncomfortably. "Penelope, and I, we're..."

"You're not even the least bit curious?" Oliver asked. "You seemed to, you seemed to like it rather a lot, you know, back then. At the time. Not really after, though..."

"That was then; this is now," Percy said. "I felt guilty enough then. I have no need, no desire, to repeat that again."

"You're not in the least bit curious?" Oliver repeated, drawing closer to Percy. His lips grazed Percy's ear. "Not at all?"

"No," Percy bit out. "Not at all."

"I think you're lying." Oliver was quieter than ever, now, and Percy had to strain to hear him. He probably wouldn't have been able to, had Oliver removed his mouth from his ear.

But Oliver hadn't, and Percy was more distinctly uncomfortable than he had been in quite awhile. "You really should move," Percy rasped. He licked his lips.

"I think you do want to," Oliver said. "I think you want to, very much."

Percy pushed him back. He inhaled deeply, exhaled sharply. "Whether I do or do not isn't the issue," he said. "I've Penny at home. I couldn't..."

"But you could," Oliver said, and kissed him.

****

#

Percy wasn't sure how Oliver had convinced him, but somehow, they were in a seedy hotel (He didn't want to upset Penny he didn't want to cheat on Penny he didn't want her to find out) and Oliver wasn't letting go, wasn't stopping, kept kissing kissing kissing Percy and it was just like sixth year, only they weren't in the library and there wasn't a dorm or abandoned classroom or closet to run off to.

And then he was on the bed. How had he gotten onto the bed? And Oliver was lying down, stretching out next to him, and kissing him _more_ and running his hand through Percy's hair. "I've waited so long for this," Oliver was whispering. "You're impossible, kiss me back."

Percy kissed him back.

And then somehow, somehow, Oliver had opened his mouth. Penny had done this before, many times; Percy knew quite what to do. He slipped his tongue into Oliver's mouth, licked the inside of his lips and tasted his teeth and then his tongue and _oh_.

Oliver groaned, moved his head back from the kiss. "Oh, God, Percy," he mumbled, and Percy pulled him back.

And, clearly, he was as delusional and perverse as Oliver, because he was hard hard hard and so was Oliver and it felt _so good_ , whatever it was that Oliver was doing. Unbuttoning Percy's slacks, apparently.

Percy broke off the kiss and sat up. "We really shouldn't..." he said.

"Don't say because of Penelope again, _please_ ," Oliver said, sitting up as well. "That's gotten old, and we're already here, and..."

"I wasn't going to," Percy returned. "I, just, here, and now, and we just _shouldn't_!"

"Somehow, I don't care," Oliver said.

Percy nodded, stood.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere," Percy said, and he started undressing.

"Oh, so you want to do this _properly_ ," Oliver said, chuckling. "Alright, then." He, too, unbuttoned his robe, pulled of his shirt, pushed his pants off - apparently, Oliver didn't wear underwear - and turned to face Percy.

"Oh, God," Percy murmured. He hadn't seen another male naked since Hogwarts, or perhaps since he was last at the Burrow, and Oliver...

Oliver looked relatively okay.

"So," Oliver said, as Percy extracted his left arm from his sleeve. "Do you want to... or should I... would you rather top?"

"I'd rather not go that far," Percy mumbled. "Penelope..."

"So we'll just play it by ear," Oliver said. "Enough talking."

Percy nodded. "Kiss me?"

Oliver complied. This kiss was sloppier, reminiscent of the drunk kiss Oliver'd given him back in seventh year before Percy remembered to forget about their sex in sixth year, and Percy was panting by the end of it. "Oh, please," he bit out, and Oliver smiled.

"With pleasure," he said, and took Percy's cock in hand.

Percy moaned as Oliver started stroking it, lightly at first, grazing it with his fingertips. "Please," he said. "That's not, you know, enough -- oh, _god_!"

Oliver smiled, that crooked, crooked smile, and deliberately let his thumb run almost _softly_ over Percy's slit. Smiling wider at Percy's gasp, he gripped his cock in one fist and started moving it up and down... slowly.

"No, no, Oliver," Percy bit out. "No, faster."

"What if I want to take my time?" Oliver asked breathily, tightening his grip and speeding up. He found a brisk pace, pulling first with his left hand and then with his right. (Percy noticed that when he was using his right hand, it was always a little bit tighter, a little bit stronger.) Percy arched his back, bucked his hips into Oliver's hold, as Oliver started stroking up and down Percy's cock again with just one hand. He moved his other to Percy's balls, stroking them and caressing them and massaging them lightly. Percy, too, finally reciprocated, grasping Oliver's own cock in his hands. He wasn't quite sure what to do; yes, he'd wanked before (once or perhaps twenty times), and the last time they'd done this... he'd done...

But that was ancient history and this was _now_ , and Percy was just _holding_ Oliver's cock. Which, he suspected, wasn't what Oliver wanted. (Especially as Oliver was now fingering Percy's entrance - a rather brilliant accompaniment to his other hand, which was still stroking up and down, up and down.)

Biting down on his lip to hold in a moan, Percy started pulling on Oliver's cock, the same way Oliver was pulling on his.

Apparently, Oliver liked it. He groaned, and buried his head in Percy's shoulder. Percy, concentrating on not messing up, almost missed Oliver's mutterings: " _oh_ , so good, Perce, more, please, more."

Percy obliged. Wrapping his fist more firmly around Oliver, he started pulling - quick, short tugs - and also licking Oliver's nose. (Afterwards, all insanity of the evening considered, that would be what Percy would focus on: _why_ the nose? why not the ear, or the neck, or... something more _normal_?) Oliver had, apparently, used some sort of spell, for his fingers were slick with some form of lubricant and one of them was currently finding its way into Percy. It felt incredibly good ( " _God_ , Perce, you're so fucking tight"), amazingly so, and Percy couldn't help but feel a slight sense of inadequacy - it was clear that Oliver was more experienced and, by association, that Percy was utter crap at this.

Shoving that thought out of mind, Percy kissed Oliver - a sloppy kiss disguised as something a little more respectable - and tried his very best to remember one of the lubricating spells that he'd found in Penelope's magazines.

Spell remembered, he concentrated as best he could on casting it without his wand. (Oliver, noticing, mumbled something along the lines of "getting better at Charms, are we?")

It was cool to touch, the lubricant, and the coolness played nicely against the hotness of Percy's hands, the hotness of Oliver's cock. Concentrating very much on what Oliver was doing right then - he had two fingers inside Percy and was doing _something_ that felt absolutely fucking amazing - Percy took Oliver's cock between his hands, and started rolling it. He started at the base and worked his way up (but soon realised that Oliver seemed to prefer it somewhere near the middle), moving his hands in opposite directions, treating Oliver's cock much like the clay he'd played with as a child, only gentler.

"You need this," Oliver whispered, twisting his head to lick and then bite at one of Percy's nipples.

Percy took a deep breath, swiping his thumb over the head of Oliver's cock. "Perhaps."

And then he completely forgot about his hands, because Oliver's hands had just brushed _something_ which made Percy spasm and moan all over again, and he arched into Oliver's touch.

"Wanna fuck you," Oliver grunted, kissing Percy on his neck.

"No," Percy said back, remembering that Oliver had a cock, too, and that he should probably do something with it. "'mnot ready yet."

"Oh," Oliver said. "Um. Okay."

"Also my foot is a little asleep," Percy said, and shuddered. Oliver had brushed against that _spot_ again.

Oliver chuckled. "That’s," he said, and apparently Percy did something right, because he gasped. "Oh, god," he said. "That's random."

Percy nodded and smiled into Oliver's hair. "You stopped," he mumbled.

"Oh," Oliver whispered, and pulled once, twice, three more times, and then Percy came.

Oliver came a few minutes later (he took it upon himself to help Percy bring him off: he fondled his balls and his entrance as Percy paid attention to his cock), and pressed a sweaty kiss onto Percy's temple.

They lay there for a little while, Percy panting softly still, and Oliver making little contented noises. Then, Oliver spoke. "Your foot really fell asleep?"

"Yes," Percy said. "It did. You know. Pins and needles, that whole... you know."

"Yeah, I suppose I do," Oliver said, and laughed.

"So," Percy said, nervously, and he felt around for his glasses. "You don't mind that I wasn't ready?"

"Not really," Oliver said. "Just so long as... well. Do you still think that that was wrong?"

"A little," Percy admitted. "But it wasn't _bad_. You know?"

"No, it wasn't bad," Oliver agreed, and suddenly, Percy smiled.

  


**###**  


And then the war started up in full strength.

Percy was delegated to researching spells that might aid in the Ministry's cause. He didn't mind: though it paid less than his _real_ job, Scrimgeour wasn't too keen on having most of his staff jeporadised by their positions and proximity to him. He buried himself in his work and only stopped when he was too tired to see straight each night.

Penelope wasn't ecstatic about this development.

****

#

About half a year into the war, all Quidditch games were suspended. Any attempts to distract the public from the war were deemed futile and potentially dangerous, and the players (with the distinct exception of the lead Chaser of the Montrose Magpies, who joined You-Know-Who's side) were sent to work for the Ministry, in various capacities.

Oliver was delegated to grunt work: he carried the many implements too delicate to be transported via magic throughout the Ministry, helped set up defence systems at the entrances to the building, and (because apparently his skill with a broom could translate to housework), was part of the cleaning detail.

  
Due to their proximity, Percy found himself with Oliver after work, more often than not. When he wasn't too tired to see straight, he often found his way to some corner, some hotel room, Oliver's flat, and, slowly, Percy learned how to better reciprocate.

Their meetings were full of reminiscing about Hogwarts, making up for lost time, and, of course, sex.

The sex wasn't perfect: there was that time when Oliver fell off the bed, the time when Percy _accidentally_ swallowed and quite nearly choked, and the time when they were interrupted by a rather pesky battle just outdoors. However, on the whole, it was pretty damn good.

Only, Percy couldn't help but think that it was wrong, wrong, wrong. He felt incredibly guilty doing this to Penelope (although, he reasoned, she was busy enough working as a Healer -- though that wasn't much by way of an excuse), and there were several times he almost told her. Also, there was the whole boy/boy factor.

But, no, instead, he just told her he loved her, kissed her temple, and turned away. Because he did, really. He honestly loved her, though he was beginning to prefer Oliver in bed.

He kept telling himself that he could choose.

  
But then, during one of their clandestine meetings, Oliver gasped something out while Percy was sucking him, and Percy suddenly became very worried. Oliver said, "I think I might love you."

When they finished up, Percy didn't say anything except "they'll probably be expecting me back about now."

Oliver nodded.

  


**#**  


It took Percy a week to assimilate, a horrid week with absolutely nothing to distract him from the seemingly imminent doom that came from You-Know-Who, a horrid week spent working till midnight or later, and then coming home to Penelope asking questions, questions, questions. "How are you?", she'd ask. "Where have you been?"

Finally, he caught up with Oliver outside of one of the numerous supply stations in the Ministry ("in case of a siege, don'tcha know?", one of the Aurors told him in the lift).

Oliver beamed, and they ducked into a niche, behind a statue of Elliot Filonius, the third Minister of Magic.

Oliver didn't ask questions, didn't ask why Percy'd been avoiding him or why he had come back. He wrapped his arms tightly about Percy and kissed him with abandon, open-mouthed and with an almost palpable sense of relief. Percy, feeling decidedly guilty and entirely unsure as to the source of the guilt (Penelope? Oliver?), kissed him back.

And then suddenly Oliver was breaking it off and stepping back and looking quite worried.

Percy turned around.

Penelope was there, shock and sorrow and pain and, most heartwrenchingly, understanding on her face. "So this is where you've been," she said, simply. "Every night, you've been with, with _him_."

"Penelope," Percy said, taking off his glasses and polishing them on the edge of his shirt. "Penny, I can explain."

"There's no need," she said, staring steadily at him. "It's quite clear. He, and you, and this, it explains quite a lot."

"Penny," Percy said, urgently. "Penelope. I. I'm sorry, uhm; I know this looks really bad--"

"Yes, it does," Penelope snapped. "I sense that there's a 'but' in that sentence."

"But I love you," Percy said, with the sinking feeling that this couldn't possibly turn out right.

"And yet you're with him," Penelope stated. Her voice was getting choked up, and she turned away.

"Not _with_ -with," Percy began, and sighed. "Well, yeah, I guess."

"Okay," Penelope said.

"Look, can we talk about this?"

"Tonight," she said. "I'll give you an hour tonight." And, with that, she walked off, as quickly as she could.

  


**###**  


The war was almost over. Rumour had it that Harry Potter was about to come face-to-face with You-Know-Who any day now, and hope was permeating the Ministry. People were walking around Diagon Alley freely; their guard let down, and already people were planning for celebratory "He's Dead!" parties.

Most of the Death Eaters had been killed or imprisoned. Perhaps three were left free.

  
Percy wasn't as jubilant as the rest of his co-workers the day that Quidditch teams started training again. He didn't feel the same sense of hope, the same relief. Hadn't done for almost a year.

Almost a year ago, Penelope had caught him and Oliver kissing behind a statue. Almost a year ago, she had been killed while waiting in their apartment for Percy to finish work and come home explain.

Almost a year ago, he had disavowed any human contact, besides talking to his superiors and relaying orders to those under him (only, as of late, he had actually caught up with Ginevra again).

He was on his way to meet Ginevra right then, too: they were going to have a cup of tea and discuss what might happen when the war ended (Percy knew what would happen: he would work, and eat, and sleep. Ginevra wasn't so sure, but she had plans to date with Harry Potter again, and she mentioned something about telling Ron to' stop being so sodding oblivious and fuck Hermione already'. When she told Percy that, he laughed for the first time in months.).

He decided to swing through Diagon Alley on his way over, pick up a little something for his favourite sister. Perhaps a book.

  
Only once he was in Diagon Alley, he saw Oliver Wood.

Wood was standing outside of the Quidditch shop, looking in at broom models that hadn't been improved since the war began. He started to turn around, and Percy tried to duck behind a nonexistent building.

Wood, of course, saw him and came over. "Percy."

Percy strode for Flourish and Blotts, ignoring Wood.

"Percy, wait," Wood called. "Percy, no, I just have to ask you something!"

Percy rounded on Wood. "The last time someone wanted to ask me something, they died. And, as I recall, they wanted to ask me about _you_. Kindly sod off."

"Well, uhm," Wood said. "That answers my question, I think. Uhm. It wasn't your fault, Percy."

"I _know_ ," Percy said, impatiently. "I was kissing _you_."

Wood froze. "So you really do blame me, then." It wasn't a question.

"Yes!" Percy shouted. "No! I don't, I don't know _who_ to blame!"

"Blame no one!" Wood shouted, but Percy ignored him and went on: " _Look_ , Wood. _I loved her_. Okay? I loved Penelope. She was amazing, so smart, so nice, so sweet, okay? How am I _supposed_ to react? By _pretending it never happened??!_ I can't do that. Okay, I _loved_ her, and I maybe thought I loved you, too, but obviously I was wrong because it was _us_ , Wood, who killed her."

"You, you loved me?" Wood asked, and then shook himself. "We didn't kill her, Percy! A Death Eater killed her, not you. Not me. Not us."

"See, but I don't know if I can believe that," Percy said, bitterly. "She was waiting for _me_ to explain _us_. If we hadn't... she wouldn't have..."

"You don't know that!" Wood said. " _It could have happened to anyone_. To you, to me, to--"

"Penelope," Percy said. "It happened to her. And to me, and to you, too, I guess. And _anyways_ , I said that I _thought_ I _might_ have loved you, but I've since realised that we're both _men_. It was unnatural and wrong and obviously the result of the stress of the war."

Wood stood silent.

Percy turned to go. "Excuse me, please, Wood. I've a meeting with my sister and I don't want our conversation to keep _her_ waiting, too."

Wood didn't say anything, so Percy went on his way.

  


**###**  


Wood shifts awkwardly in his spot. "Percy?"

"What?"

"You've been just... staring at me. Uhm. Is everything okay?"

"Oh," Percy says. "Yeah. It's just..." he gestures. "I've just been remem-- I mean, work. Everything."

"Right, right," Wood nods. "Hey, do you mind if I...?"

Percy pauses, contemplates. "Sure," he says. "Probably couldn't do any harm."

Wood sits, cradling his mug in one hand. "So," he says. "How've you been holding up these past..."

"Three years?" Percy says, and smiles ruefully. He takes off his glasses and polishes them on his shirt. "I've been working, mostly. Apologising to my family for... you know. Being..."

"Yeah," Wood says. "Being an arse."

Percy laughs. "Yeah, sure, Oliver, I'll give you that. But, yes. Basically work, and family - oh, and I've been writing a book!"

"Have you?" Oliver asks. "That's _brilliant_ , what's it about?"

Percy blushes. "Uhm. Er. Well. Hm."

Oliver laughs. "Something embarrassing?"

"Only when I say it to you," Percy says. "It's... well. Er. It's about the effect that homosexuality has on the wizarding world, and vice versa."

Oliver stares at him, a smile beginning to grow. " _Percy_!" he says." _Damn_ , I thought you were going to say it was about, oh, _Charms_ or something! But, really, this is awesome. It's..."

Percy holds up his hand. "Also about how it's terribly wrong."

The smile disappears. "Oh," Oliver says.

"Oh." Percy replies. "April fools."

"It's not the first of April," Oliver reminds him.

"Yeah, well," Percy says. "I don't know."

"That wasn't really funny," Oliver admonishes. "But it's okay. I guess."

Percy smiles. "It's actually about _you_. Was supposed to be an apology. For... you know. Diagon Alley. And everything."

Oliver is speechless for a minute, and then he speaks. "I miss you."

Percy nods, a wry smile twisting his mouth. "I know."

* * *

  


**Author's Note:**

> **A/N** : my beta thinks I should add a sentence here along the lines of “and then they went home and had hot monkey sex for hours and lived happily ever after”. Which I am saying solely for posterity, of course.


End file.
